
16 The
Ten
Roads
to
Riches
They
had
their
viewpoint.
Knight
had his.
His
was:
Though
working conditions in his overseas plants
might
not
be up to
middle-class American standards, those workers
didn't
have to take
those jobs.
They
did so
out
of
free will. And, in general, Nike's
factory workers
earned
far
more
than
their
compatriots/j
and had
better
benefits-onsite
clinics, schooling for employees' children,
etc.
They
took
those jobs because
they
were
better
than
alterna-
tives.
None
of
that,
of
course, slowed
the
attackers.
He
got
attacked
from myriad sources, including his alma
mater
.
Knight
remained
resolute
that
he was
right-that
the
overseas plants were necessary
to deliver
good
quality, inexpensive shoes.
Here's
my point:
Knight
could have fatigued and sold
out-
tiring
from
getting
attacked. After signing
Jordan,
he could have
stayed solely in sneakers and
been
an attractive takeover target.
Selling
out
then, he
wouldn't
have
hit
the
Forbes
400,
but
he'd
be
plenty wealthy and
wouldn't
get
annoyingly attacked anymore.
He
wouldn't
have shareholders to answer to.
He
could
shop
in peace.
But he
didn't
cave-luckily
for Nike's employees, shareholders,
and anyone
who
likes
buying
competitively-priced sneakers.
He
toughed
it
out
and
kept
building, adding products
beyond
sneakers,
overcoming his attackers eventually.
Knight
built
Nike
to last.
Few
have his
grit
and
enduring
quality.
Do
you?
FOUNDERS
ARE
QUITTERS-JUST
DO
IT
So you
want
to be a founder.
Then
don't
be stopped.
Quit
every-
thing
else.
Founders
are quitters first.
If
you've ...